


Road to Boruto

by venussnow



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Character Death, Complete, Family, Friendship, Gen, Hokage, Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 13,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28709799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venussnow/pseuds/venussnow
Summary: Naruto is about to be named the 6th Hokage in an alternative universe where Nagato didn't bring back anyone that he killed. However, just two days before his inauguration, Naruto and Sasuke find a mysterious boy that appeared in a flash of light. As if that wasn't bad enough, the boy keeps calling Naruto his dad.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

In the outlying forest of the Hidden Leaf Village a bright line shone and a young boy fell from the sky. He landed on a tree branch and was unconscious when two Hidden Leaf shinobi found him.

"It's just a kid… should we take him to the hospital?" Naruto asked, setting the boy down on the ground to look for further injuries.

"No. You'll be named Hokage in two days and he could be a spy." Sasuke took out a kunai and attempted to slash the boy's throat.

Naruto stopped him. The two were angrily staring at each other when the boy on the ground suddenly spoke.

"Dad?" He was looking directly at Naruto.

"Dad?" both men asked in unison.

"Who is your dad?" Naruto's voice was shrill.

Sasuke approached the kid and peered down at him. Blue eyes. Blond hair. Whiskers.

"He looks around 10 years old...Naruto were you out there having kids in the middle of war?" Sasuke's voice was low. His eyes were focused on the kid.

Naruto was dumbfounded.

He said nothing as he stared at the little boy in shock.

"Answer." Sasuke's voice was stern.

"How could I...No! No! No! With who?! When...when would I even have the time?" Naruto was panicking. He was flinging his arms around. His voice rose with every word he spoke.

"Kid. Who are you?" Sasuke grabbed the kid by his shirt. "Answer."

"Ummm…" The kid stared blankly at them. "I… I don't know."

Frustrated, Sasuke let him fall.

"Get your kid. We're going to the Hokage."


	2. Chapter 2

It was the middle of the night, but Tsunade was still working in her office. She expected Naruto and Sasuke to appear at any moment. She had seen the bright light and had felt a change in chakra pressure.

The two men arrived shortly.

Naruto was carrying a boy that was no more than 12.

As soon as she saw him Tsunade felt the air rush out of her chest. She fell back into her chair, shaking her head, and placed a hand over her heart.

"Naruto… is he your…" a smile slowly started to spread across her face.

"Granny! You can't possibly believe that he's mine!" Naruto whispered angrily. The child was sound asleep and snuggled into his arms.

Sasuke scoffed.

"Then who is he?" Tsunade was out of her chair and went to inspect the boy.

"He doesn't know." Sasuke was standing across the room.

"He doesn't know?" She stared at the boy that was latched onto Naruto's chest. "Then what does he know?"

The two men turned to look at each other. Sasuke scoffed again and brusquely turned his head.

Naruto sighed in frustration.

"We found him unconscious on a tree in the village outskirts." Naruto began reporting, but suddenly stopped and lowered his gaze.

"You haven't answered my question." Tsuande said as she more closely inspected the boy.

Naruto groaned in frustration and turned to Sasuke, who had his arms crossed and was looking at him disapprovingly.

"When he woke up he took one look at me and called me dad." His voice went from a whisper to a yell as he said the word dad.

The boy groaned and opened his eyes.

"Grandma?" His voice was groggy.

"Who is this brat calling grandma?" Tsuande said with sudden anger.

The boy shuddered and snuggled further into Naruto's chest.

Tsunade turned to Sasuke. "Put him back to sleep."

"Tsk." Sasuke rolled his eyes, but did as he was told.

The boy blinked slowly, until finally he closed his eyes and fell back into Naruto's embrace.

Naruto was annoyed at this whole situation. He turned with pleading eyes to Tsuande. "You have to believe me… he's not mine."

She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him with disapproval.

"Look at him. He's the spitting image of you"

"A jutsu! A trick!" His voice was exasperated.

"He tried telling me the same thing on the way here." Sasuke suddenly spoke. "The only way we'll find out the truth is to do a paternity test."

"Yes, but before that…" she narrowed her eyes at Naruto.

"When is the last time that you…" she cleared her throat. "Well…"

"The last time that I 'what'?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"Well…" she raised her eyebrows.

"Well… what? And why are you making that face?" He made no attempt to hide his annoyance. "Just ask me what you want to know and quit-"

"When is the last time you had sex." Sasuke said.

"THAT I WHAT?" Naruto screamed. His face was a bright red. He almost dropped the kid, but he managed to keep him in his arms.

"WHAT'S IT TO YOU?"

"Lower your voice!" Tsunade snapped back in a yell.

"WELL THEN DON'T ASK SUCH...SUCH PERSONAL QUESTIONS!" His face was still red.

"WELL MAYBE IF YOU WEREN'T HOLDING THE 10 YEAR OLD VERSION OF YOURSELF TWO DAYS BEFORE YOUR INAUGURATION I WOULDN'T HAVE TO EVER ASK!"

"KEEP IT DOWN! YOU'LL WAKE UP THE KID!" Sasuke screamed back.

"Is this… a bad time?." A man in an anbu mask opened the door. "Lady Tsuande, I'm here as requested."

"TAKE THESE TWO OUT OF HERE!" Tsunade screamed. "FIND OUT IF IT'S HIS KID!"

"HE'S NOT MINE!"

"WELL THEN GO TAKE THE TEST!"

"FINE I WILL BUT I EXPECT AN APOLOGY RIGHT AFTER!"

Naruto stormed out of the room without Yamato.

He turned from Tsunade to the door where Naruto was. Naruto to Tsunade. Tsunade to Naruto.

"WELL CAPTAIN I'M WAITING!" Naruto called from outside the room.

"Uh… right. Excuse me."

In the midst of the discussion, Sasuke started to walk out too.

"Stop right there Uchiha. I need a full report."

" Naruto told you all there is to know. I'm out of here just tell that bastard I'll be at home."

"Sit your ass down and give me a proper report.""

"Tsk."


	3. Chapter 3

As Sasuke finished reporting, Naruto walked back into the office with the boy following close behind him.

“Perfect timing.” She signaled for Yamato to approach and she whispered into his ear.

“Right.” He opened his arms out. “Come here kid. I’ll carry you to a guest room.”

The boy shuddered and hid behind Naruto’s back, tightly clutching to the bottom of his shirt.

“I can’t see his face but I know… it’s creepy.”

Naruto held back a laugh.

“The kid needs sleep… we’re keeping him here under observation.”

“Here? In a cell?” Naruto’s voice was angry.

“He’ll have a proper bedroom.”

“There’s no way I’m leaving him here.” Naruto placed his hand over the boy’s head, his eyes firmly placed on Tsunade.

“We don’t have a choice. You're in the process of moving out of your apartment and we can’t risk anything happening to you before you’re officially named the sixth Hokage.”

“Hokage..” the boy whispered, still holding on to Naruto’s shirt. “No. No you can’t be Hokage!” The boy screamed.

Naruto stared down at him in shock. “Kid.. calm down.”

He was about to shove him away, but the look in the boy’s eyes stopped him.

“Why can’t he be hokage? Tsunade asked with suspicion.

“Um… I don’t know why but….” he put his hand to his heart. “I think that if he does.. It’ll make me very sad.”

Sasuke scoffed.

Tsunade sighed. “Yamato take the kid and put him under 24 hour surveillance. We are not taking any chances.”

The boy clung to Naruto’s leg. “I want to stay with dad!”

Naruto had a slight blush. “D-dad?! Who is your dad?!”

“Sasuke. The boy.”

He groaned in frustration and put his hand to the child’s forehead. The boy instantly collapsed and Yamato caught him.

“Right. I’ll be taking him now Lady Tsunade.”

“Captain… wait…” Naruto extended his hand towards the boy. “When.. when he wakes up let me know.”

“Right.” There was a smile on his voice. “Excuse me.”

“You two. Go get some rest. Naruto you’re staying at Sasuke’s tonight.”

“What? Why?!” Naruto was screaming again.

“You don’t get it do you? There’s a child that shows up two days before you’re named Hokage who claims to be your son and who doesn’t want you to be Hokage. This could be the beginning of an attack from another village.”

“If they’re after me then I’ll handle it. There’s no need for Sasuke to take care of me.”

“Idiot. You’re going to be the Hokage.” Sasuke was annoyed.

“Exactly! _I’m_ going to be Hokage. _I'm_ the one that has to protect _you_!”

“No idiot I’m-”

“That’s enough out of you two. _I’m_ still the Hokage and this is a direct order.”

“But Granny-”

“You’re dismissed.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Sasuke, would you just wait for me?”

Sasuke said nothing and sped up his pace.

“I’m telling you he’s not my kid!”

He stopped suddenly and Naruto bumped into his back.

“Shut up already.” He muttered and then started walking again.

“No! I don’t even get why you’re this upset!” Naruto grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.

“You don’t get it?” Sasuke said through gritted teeth. “You don’t get it?!” His voice was now a scream.

Naruto stared at him dumbfounded.

How could you not get it you idiot?!”

“It’s not my kid! Even if it was… who cares?”

Sasuke slapped his hand off his shoulder. “Those five years…” Sasuke’s voice was low and menacing. “Those five years of the war were the worst of my life… but while everyone was fighting you were out there having kids.”

Naruto scoffed in indignation. “I never did that! I was on the battlefield every day!”

Sasuke scoffed back and started to walk away again. “He’s about 10 years old! If he’s yours then that means you were—”

He increased his pace and wouldn’t bother to look back at Naruto as he walked.

“He’s not mine!”

“Bullshit!”

“Sasuke! I wouldn’t do that!”

“While we were all trying to find a way to stop Obito and Madara. While Sakura was mourning Kakashi…You’re lucky she’s out on a mission because if she had to see this she’d kill you...!”

“I was grieving too! I was fighting too!”

“Is that how you grieve?”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Who’s the mother anyways?”

“Stop it! What does that matter?”

“Can’t even remember? Just how many women did you—”

“Just shut up!”

"How many more kids could you have abandoned out there? You grew up without a family so you more than anyone should know how irresponsible—"

“SASUKE I’M A VIRGIN!”

Sasuke stopped walking. He turned back to face him with his mouth gaping open. “You’re a…”

Naruto’s face was bright red.

Sasuke shook his head. “There’s no way.”

Naruto’s jaw dropped. “Why the hell would I lie about this?”

Naruto got ahead of Sasuke and started pacing in front of him. “Just listen here you bastard the only reason I told you that is so you understand that for all those years during the war I was fighting and training and-”

Sasuke wasn’t listening to him. He was lost in thought. “How could he… we’re thirty...”

“And besides! We’re always traveling! Kaguya ringing any bells?!”

“Has he even gone on a date?” Sasuke mumbled.

“Dates?! There’s no time for dates when you’re the child of prophecy!” Naruto continued to yell loudly.

“Huh?” Sasuke hadn’t heard a word. “I said are you happy now?”

Sasuke cleared his throat. “I’m not happy about this. I don’t care about your sex life.”

“Could have fooled me! You wouldn’t stop asking!”

“I was only asking because that boy showed up right before inauguration, he looks just like you, and you’re acting like he’s yours!”

“Acting like he’s mine? I’ve seen him an hour… at most!”

Sasuke said nothing. “If he’s not yours. Who sent him here? Who the hell is he?”

“He’s just some kid. The real question is why would someone send a kid…”

“The other villages… they lost a lot more than us. There could be resentment.”

Naruto sighed. “No. I trust them. They wouldn’t do something this… cruel.”

“They would.”

Naruto groaned. “I don’t want to believe that.”

The two kept walking together in silence until they arrived at Sasuke’s home.

They had already agreed that Sasuke would take the first shift. “We’ll find out more about him tomorrow, but for now you need to rest. You’ll be named Hokage in two days no matter what anyone tries to do. I’ll make sure of it.”


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto and Sasuke were sitting at the Hokage’s office the next morning. 

“He’s yours.” Tsunade said as soon as they sat down.

Naruto stared at Tsunade in shock. “There… there must be a mistake.”

Sasuke was mumbling something.

“No mistake. He’s yours.” Tsunade sighed. “Now we just need to figure out why your son would-”

“No. You don’t understand. He  _ can’t _ be mine.”

“He’s yours. The test was clear as day.”

“Grandma… I  _ can’t  _ be a father.”

“You should have thought of that before you--”

“No. No! This… this  _ can’t _ be happening.” Naruto had stood up. His head was spinning. 

He turned towards Sasuke who was still mumbling to himself. “You believe me right?”

Sasuke said nothing.

“Well it happened. You’re a father.” Tsunade rolled her eyes. She was annoyed at Naruto’s immature reaction.

“No!” He stepped back and started to walk towards the door. Tsunade stopped him and gripped him by the wrist.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“I don’t know! I need space.”

“You can have all the space you want after we figure this out. Your inauguration is tomorrow!”

“No! I need to get out of here!”

“You need to sit your ass down so we can figure out what to do with  _ your _ child.”

“My…c-child” Naruto choked on the word. He shook his head and before either Tsunade or Sasuke could stop him he left the room.

“How is he Jiraya’s student? I know he taught him better than this.” Tsunade said with disappointment. She walked back to her desk and sat down. She slumped into her chair and looked at Sasuke. 

He was sitting calmly but he had his sharigan on and he was staring intently at his hand. 

“Sasuke. Bring him back to the Analysis Team where we’re holding the boy.” 

Sasuke usually complained when she ordered him around, but this time he stood up and nobbed. 

Tsunade laughed. “Remember that we need his face intact.” She smiled up at him. “Just his face though.” 


	6. Chapter 6

Sasuke knew that Naruto would be in his apartment.

He also knew that he wouldn’t open the door for him, so he instead hung around outside the window. 

He looked in and noted that even with the boxes scattered around the place this was the cleanest the room had ever been. Naruto was sitting on the floor, his back to the bed, staring at a framed picture of his father. 

“You could have knocked.” Naruto said without turning around.

“You wouldn’t have opened the door.” Sasuke said, stepping into the room through the window. 

“You’re not going to punch me?”

“I wanted to, but you look like shit already.”

“I wasn’t lying. He can’t be mine. I’m no one's dad.”

“You need to tell that to Tsunade.”

“No! That’s never going to happen. The truth has to come out eventually without me having to tell her anything!” He had a slight blush and his voice was high pitched. “They’ll just have to believe me when I tell them that the kid isn’t mine regardless of the paternity result…”

“Unlikely. The alternative is that someone stole your sperm and who’d ever believe that?”

The two went quiet.

“You… you don’t think...” Naruto’s face was deep in thought. “I did lose a sock…”

“That’s disgusting.” Sasuke sat on the bed. “Maybe… you just forgot?”

“I would not forget that.” Naruto said with a laugh.

“Forgotten or not. It won’t matter for long since Ino is taking a look at him.”

“She is?” Naruto’s face lit up. 

There was a knock on the door. 

“I hired some movers.” Naruto said standing up to get the door. “Let’s get out of here and head over. If Ino’s on it then we’ll find out who the kid really is.”


	7. Chapter 7

“I didn’t think they’d bring the kid to this place.” Naruto said as they entered the Leaf’s Intelligence Division’s headquarters. “This is no place to bring a kid even if he could be a spy.”

The two men walked in right through the front door. No one would bother stopping them or questioning them as they made their way through the lobby. The receptionist bowed deeply to them both, and several of the employees came to get a glimpse of the Leaf Village’s hero.

“Ino wouldn’t hurt the kid.” Sasuke said with reassurance, leading the way to the Analysis Team’s division. He knew the way there well; he had often helped with interrogations. “Besides, as far as everyone involved is concerned, he’s your kid. No one would hurt him.”

There were no guards at the door so the two went straight in. They found the boy and Ino alone in a well-furnished room, unbefitting of its location. This was where prisoners had been brought during the war for interrogations, but there was modern furniture, flowers, and even a television playing a children’s show where the main character had some funny shaped glasses.

Ino was the division’s leader and she was excellent at her job. Naruto briefly wondered if she had ordered that the room be made to look more kid-friendly for his sake.

“Dad!” The boy yelled standing up from his seat across from Ino and rushing over to them. The boy completely ignored Sasuke and hugged Naruto. Naruto sighed and patted the kid’s head.

“His first words to me were auntie.” Ino said smiling and motioning for them to go and take a seat in the make-shift lobby area.

“Where’s your team?” Sasuke asked Ino as he sat down.

“Lady Tsunade said this is top-secret.” She shrugged. “I was asked to look over him alone and I can understand why.”

Sasuke furrowed his brows. “Why would they ask you to look after him alone?”

“I’m perfectly capable of handling a small boy alone.” Ino said, trying to hold back a laugh. “Besides he’s been nothing but sweet to me, if it were up to me, I’d take him around the Village to see if I could jog his memory.” She shrugged. “But it’s not.”

“Have you interrogated him yet?” Naruto asked, taking a seat on the sofa with the child following close behind him and sitting next to him. The boy held on to Naruto’s arm.

“I started to ask him a couple of questions after he called me auntie, but he hasn’t been able to tell what his name is, who his mom is, or where he’s from.”

“I really don’t know.” The boy sounded sad. “I just know that he’s my dad.”

Ino smiled at the boy. “It’s OK sweetie. There’s someone else that could answer this question for us.” Ino wiggled her eyebrows at Naruto. “Your daddy should be able to tell us some things about you.”

Naruto’s eyes widened. “His… his what?”

“His daddy! Dad! Father! Papa! Y’know… you!” She was smiling and laughing as she spoke.

“I’m… I’m not his…” He couldn’t even say the word.

“You’re my dad.” The boy said simply.

“I…” he turned to Sasuke for help but all Sasuke did was quickly flip his head away in the opposite direction.

_That jerk never changes_! Naruto thought angrily.

“Well…” Naruto cleared his throat. “I think the interrogation should begin Ino. Can we be of any help?”

“I may need your help if I’m unable to use my jutsu on him without my device, but until then I can do this alone. I was just waiting on you two so that I could start.” She crossed her legs and placed her hand on her knee.

“You ready for this kid?” She said with a sweet smile.

“Am I ready?” The boy asked Naruto.

“Yeah kid. You’re ready. It won’t hurt.” Naruto said, slightly annoyed.

“OK! I’m ready auntie!” The boy said with excitement.

Ino laughed and went to go place her hand on the kid’s head. “OK. Let’s try it with direct physical contact first. Psycho Mind Transmission Jutsu.”


	8. Chapter 8

Naruto and Sasuke saw steam forming around the boy’s head. Ino stared intently at him, unmoving and expressionless.

The boy started to squirm under her hand.

“OK that’s enough.” Naruto said as he made a grab for Ino’s hand. Sasuke saw that, and grabbed him before he could interrupt the jutsu. He dragged the man away from the two and Naruto shoved him.

“Calm down you idiot. You have to trust her.” He brushed himself off and looked at Naruto firmly. “She’s not going to hurt him.” Sasuke’s voice was calm and reassuring, but it wasn’t able to calm down Naruto.

Naruto crossed his arms and silently watched as Ino continued the jutsu. The boy was quiet now and he had his eyes closed, the smoke in the room increased.

“Nothing.” Ino said finally. “There are no genjutsu blocks so I don’t understand why, but I’m not able to get any of the boy’s memories.” Ino turned to look at Naruto and Sasuke, there was fear in her eyes. “I don’t understand how this happened.”

Sasuke let out a groan in frustration. He walked over to the boy and grabbed him by the collar. “Kid. Who the hell are you? Speak.”

The boy squirmed under his grip. “I don’t know! Honest!” the boy had tears about to form in his eyes.

“Put him down Sasuke!” Naruto said, grabbing his shoulder, but Sasuke just brushed him off and continued to interrogate the boy.

“Answer me.” The man activated his sharigan. “If you don’t tell me who the hell you are right now and what you’re doing here I’m going to—”

Naruto managed to grab the kid from his grip and he held him in his arms. Sasuke looked at him in annoyance.

“He’s not a normal kid Naruto! It’s not your son!” Sasuke was angry. “You’re not his dad!”

“He… he genuinely thinks that he’s his dad though.” Ino said while focusing on Sasuke. “I couldn’t see any memories, at least nothing clear, but I can guarantee you that there is nothing in his mind that we should be concerned about.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes and Naruto raised an eyebrow at that.

“Explain what you saw. Clearly.” Sasuke snapped.

Ino sighed. “Geez. You’re as polite as ever. I told you guys I didn’t see anything.” She put her hand on her hip. “I am the best at this and I wasn’t able to get a single memory from the boy. He’s a blank slate. That means that while we can’t get all the juicy details about who his mom is or where he came from, we can at least guarantee that he means us no harm.”

Naruto and her exchanged a smile.

“See Sasuke? I told you—"

“But it’s obvious that there’s something more going on.” She now turned to Sasuke. “Even if he is a blank slate, that doesn’t mean that he’s not part of another village’s attack. Hell… it could even be something far worse than that.”

Sasuke scowled at her, but his body language showed that he was agreeing with what she was saying.

“This is also not something that I know from the jutsu, but just my observation… he knows things about your friends.” Her eyes were back to Naruto.

“I got the full report from Yamato. He called you dad, Tsunade grandma, he knew Yamato’s face was creepy, and he called me auntie.” She threw her hands in exasperation. “He even asked me about the flower shop!”

Naruto looked down at the kid. “How do you know all that?”

The boy shrugged. “I saw them and I knew. I can’t explain it.”

Ino furrowed her brows. “No matter how he knew, the fact remains that he has intel on us that’s not worth overlooking. I suggest that we keep him under Anbu observation until after your inauguration… Lord Sixth.” She said teasingly.

“Don’t call me Lord Sixth…” Naruto said as he patted the kid’s head instinctively, but Ino wasn’t listening. She was already starting to walk out the door.

“I’m going to go make my full report to Lady Tsunade as well as give her my recommendation.” Ino said almost sprinting out of the room. “She asked me to report before 9:00 AM and I’m cutting it close. You two are supposed to wait here with the kid until I get back!”

She quickly exited the room and left the three of them. They stared at each other awkwardly for about a minute until Sasuke exhaled.

“I’m not waiting another day to take care of this kid and risk putting everyone in danger.” Sasuke said, reaching for the kid.

Naruto held the boy tighter and shoved Sasuke brusquely away. “Ino just told you he means no harm! Why are you trying to hurt him?”

“I just want to interrogate him myself!” Sasuke seemed hurt. “You can’t possibly believe I’d hurt him?”

Naruto looked back at him with guilt in his eyes. “Yeah… yeah you’re right. Of course, you wouldn’t hurt him.” He eased up and put the boy down. He patted his head and turned to Sasuke. “I’m sorry. I trust you. I just…He is…” he looked down at the boy who was shivering and holding on to his pants.

“Tsk.” Sasuke turned towards the door.

“Sasuke wait!” Naruto yelled. “I said I was sorry! I know you’re not the kind that would hurt a kid!”

“Sakura should be returning tonight.” Sasuke said as he opened the door. “Have her help you with this. I’m done.” He walked out of the room without another word.

“Sasuke! Please wait! Listen to me!” Naruto rushed out of the room after his best friend completely forgetting about the boy.

“Dad? Dad where are you going?” the boy called as he chased after the men and left the room.

The employees saw as Sasuke paced out of the building not bothering to greet anyone that waved at him as he stormed out. 

Naruto, on the other hand, often stopped to greet them but he was rushing out trying to catch up to Sasuke. He would call out apologies and he promised to return as soon as he could. The employees knew he’d keep his word so they waved at him and called out their congratulations.

No one knew to stop the boy slowly trailing behind the two men as he walked out of the building and began wandering around on his own.


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto was right behind Sasuke as he stormed out of the building and began running out towards the outskirts of town.

“Sasuke, I didn’t mean anything by that!”

“Shut up and figure out what to do with _your_ kid.”

“Sasuke, please just talk to me!”

“Quit chasing after me!”

“I know you’d never hurt a kid!”

“I don’t care what you think! Go away!”

“Then why are you acting like such a jerk!”

Sasuke stopped and turned around to punch Naruto when a realization struck. The two men were on top of a building about to leave the village.

“Idiot…. Where’s the kid?”

“Huh?” Naruto instinctively looked at his leg. He shrugged. “He must be back at headquarters.”

Sasuke stared at Naruto’s relaxed face in disbelief.

“You left the biggest potential danger to our village _alone_ , so that you could chase after _me_?” Sasuke said each word slowly, as if he couldn’t believe he had just formed that sentence.

“Yeah. Of course.” Naruto wasn’t understanding why Sasuke sounded so upset. “He’s just a harmless kid, but you on the other hand can never be left alone.”

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the collar. “You stupid idiot! You should have never left!”

“ _You_ should have never left!” Naruto pushed him off. “You know I always chase after you! It’s what I do!” Naruto screamed back annoyed. 

“No one asked you to chase after me! Tsunade ordered you to wait there!” Sasuke shoved him.

“No! Tsunade ordered _us_ to wait there!” Naruto shoved him back. “And if I left you alone bad shit would happen! Bad shit always happens when I don’t chase after you!”

“Get over that already! We were twelve!” He shoved him back. “I'm perfectly capable of being alone! I’m _thirty_!”

“Bullshit! Last year when I didn’t chase after you, you got into a fight with the Raikage!” Naruto didn’t shove him back, instead he grabbed him by the collar and was preparing for a fist fight. “Or what at _twenty-nine_ were you still a kid?” Naruto mocked.

Sasuke had forgotten about that. His mouth was open in indignation. Now he was really pissed off. He grabbed Naruto’s collar back. “He’s an asshole! _He_ provoked _me_!” 

“You’re an asshole too!” Naruto screamed as both men attempted to grab at each other’s necks. The two were struggling around trying to get a clear jab at each other’s face.

They were so focused on the fight that they didn’t notice Shikamaru land on the roof.

“Uh… guys?” Shikamaru was standing in front of them. He had a stack of paperwork in a satchel and he was wearing his business attire.

“What?” Both men said in unison, still attempting to punch each other's faces. 

“Where’s the kid?” Shikamaru had looked around the roof in the hopes that they hadn’t lost him, but that hope was quickly shattered when he saw that they were fighting. 

“Ask him!” Both men screamed at the same time, the fight just getting worse.

Shikamaru sighed as he watched the two men fighting. _Why the hell did Tsunade ask me to get involved in this?_ He thought bitterly. _As if planning an inauguration wasn’t enough work I now have to babysit these two. Should I ask for a raise?_

“Guys.” His voice had no sense of urgency.

“What?” They both screamed at him. Naruto got the first punch in and he smiled triumphantly, but Sasuke quickly recovered and got in a punch that made Naruto’s head spin.

“Listen I got to report to Tsunade in fifteen minutes, so I don’t have any time to babysit you two.”

The two men stopped fighting and scoffed.

“We are not children. We do not need babysitting.” Naruto said, wiping the blood from his mouth. 

“Don’t lump me in with him.” Sasuke had wiped the blood off prior to anyone noticing. 

Shikamaru sighed. They were always like this. 

“Wait…” Naruto blushed. “What did Granny—”

“Your love child appeared with no memory just days before the inauguration. You two are supposed to keep him with the analysis team for a couple of hours, so they could run some tests on him. Tsunade knows you wouldn’t stay at one place for hours, so I’m supposed to look for you guys in the village and tell you to meet her in her office instead.” He reported simply, but then he added. “I’m sure she didn’t expect you to lose your son though.” 

“He’s not mine!” Naruto began, but quickly stopped himself. “Wait. She sent you to look for us?” He threw his arms up in indignation. “She has no faith in me! I’m going to be Hokage and yet—”

“You idiot. You lost the kid. Of course, she has no faith in you.” Sasuke interrupted.

“ _We_ lost the kid and it was all _your_ fault!” Naruto screamed again making a fist.

“He’s your son!” Sasuke made a fist back.

“No!” He turned towards Shikamaru with a blush. “Listen man I know it’s not looking good for me, but I can guarantee you he’s not my son. I’m not the kind of guy that’d leave his kid!” Naruto really cared about Shikamaru’s opinion of him, he was one of his best friends, so his voice sounded desperate.

Shikamaru smiled at him. “I trust you Naruto. I know you wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

Naruto sighed with relief and chuckled. “You’re the best Shikamaru. I really don’t know what i’d do without you—”

“Besides I’m pretty sure you’re a virgin.” Shikamaru said it simply without meaning to offend Naruto, but Naruto’s face went red instantly.

“You dirty, no good, rotten asshole!” Naruto screamed at him. 

The two heard Sasuke laugh. The two men turned to look at him, but his face was expressionless.

“You think this is funny?” Naruto asked, still red.

Sasuke smirked at Naruto. “Well, aren’t you?”

Naruto’s face got redder and he rushed over to him. “I told you that in secrecy!” He whispered harshly. “You jerk!” 

“I didn’t say shit he figured it out!” Sasuke whispered back, shoving Naruto as he spoke. 

Shikamaru knew them well enough to know this was about to be round two. He cleared his throat to get their attention. It didn’t work. He tried again with a different tactic.

“I figured you both were actually—” 

Both men stopped their fighting, they gasped, and looked to Shikamaru expectantly.

“Suppose to be guarding the boy, so Tsunade will be upset at you both equally.” He finished and smiled at the men.

Naruto grunted in disappointment and Sasuke looked relieved but only for a brief moment before he regained his composure.

“This was supposed to be a surprise,” Shikamaru began taking advantage of the attention the men were giving him, “but seeing as how you two are at each other’s throats… I might as well tell you the good news now.”

Both men raised an eyebrow.

“Sakura is returning in a couple of hours.” 

“What?” Both men had a smile on their face, but it quickly turned into panic. They turned to look at each other and gulped.


	10. Chapter 10

“Wait.” Naruto held up his hands. “Why is she returning early? Did the Mizukage send her back? What happened?”

Shikamaru smiled at him. “Well your plan worked. The Mizukage was so happy that you’d send the best medical ninja we have to help tend to their wounded that they’re sending a representative for your inauguration. All five nations will be here.” 

Naruto was beaming. He jumped up and hugged Shikamaru. “I knew it! I can’t believe this is happening!” He was tightening his grip on Shikamaru. “Thank you for helping me convince Granny! I couldn’t have done it without you!”

“You’re welcome! Now about the kid—”

“We need to make accommodations…” Naruto was mumbling to himself. “I need to revise my speech… Did I order enough guards for all five nations? Who will be their escorts…”?

“Naruto! The kid!” Shikamaru said, snapping him back to reality.

“Who?” Naruto was already stressed out enough. 

Shikamaru sighed. “Your son.”

Naruto’s face distorted in annoyance as if to say: _Right. The kid._

Sasuke was proud of both Naruto and Sakura for accomplishing this. Without realizing it he had a smile on his face, but he quickly replaced it for a look of indifference before the other two saw him. “So, if she’s coming back early with a representative, we need to get this kid thing under control before she gets here.”

Naruto let go of Shikamaru. “If Sakura hears about the kid…”

“She’ll kill you.” Sasuke smiled smugly.

“No. She’s my best friend, she'd never kill me.” Naruto didn’t sound convinced.

“She’s thirty. Unmarried. Never even had a boyfriend. And she did so because she believes you’re the kind of man that will unite all five nations. The kind of man that has dedicated and sacrificed his entire life to unite all five nations.” Sasuke said simply. “She’ll kill you if she finds out you’re actually the kind of man that would abandon a son.” 

Naruto shuddered. He knew he was right. “We need to find that kid. _Fast_.”

Shikamaru sighed. “Listen. I need to head back to work. Tsunade asked me as a personal favor to make sure you guys hadn’t killed each other yet. Find the kid. Report to Tsunade by 11:00 AM.” He waved goodbye and left the two men dumbfounded.

“Right!” Naruto said making five shadow clones.

“Tsk.” Sasuke rolled his eyes and activated his sharigan. 

“What are you two doing?” Shikamaru said with annoyance.

“Looking for the kid” All six Narutos said at the same time.

“You can’t have your shadow clones running around the village today. We have guests from all five nations here and if they see the Leaf’s Hero in a panic that’ll cause a huge commotion.”

“Idiot.” Sasuke said, with his sharigan still activated.

“You can’t use your sharigan either Sasuke.” Shikamaru sighed.

“What?” Sasuke sounded embarrassed. 

Naruto started laughing. “Yeah idiot! You’ll alarm our guest and you’ll scare the villagers too!”

“Exactly. You two are at the spotlight today. Everywhere you go there’ll be eyes on you. If you make it obvious that you’re looking for the kid or that you’re panicked, all of our hard work will be for nothing. The other nations could leave, or there could be unrest with the people.” Shikamaru sighed in frustration. _This is why Tsunade sent me to them_. He thought sadly. 

“So then… what do we do?” Naruto was having a tough enough time as it was. He had to follow up on the movers, prepare his speech, he had a couple of meetings in the afternoon. “There’s no way on earth I could take care of a child and do all that I have to do as Hokage.” He was panicking. “How did the other Hokages have kids?!” He was screaming now.

He was pacing around, running his hand through his hair, his eyes were wide open. Sasuke let out a small sigh.

“It was a different time and they were worried about one village. You got all of them to worry about.” Sasuke said reassuringly. “Besides, he’s just a kid.” Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “Together we’ll find him easily, even without jutsu, and then we’ll figure out what to do with him.” 

Naruto smiled at his friend. “Thanks.”

Shikamaru smiled at them. “Right. You two got this. Good luck.” He started calmly walking to the stairs. 

“Weren’t you in a hurry to report to Tsunade?” Naruto asked with his head tilted.

“Yeah, I was, but something tells me this 10-minute walk to her office will be the last peaceful 10 minutes of my life. So, I’m going to enjoy it.” He said simply turning back at the two men with a smile and a wave.


	11. Chapter 11

“OK so if I was 10 where would I go?” Naruto asked, still on the roof looking around the village. 

“You’d be vandalizing the Hokage Rock.” Sasuke wasn’t bothering to look around.

“ _You’d be vandalizing the Hokage Rock_.” Naruto said mockingly. “You know being a bastard to me isn’t going to make that kid appear any faster!”

He sat down on the ground crossed legged and tried his hardest to concentrate.

 _Push out all the thoughts work._ Naruto thought _. Focus on the kid. Clear your mind._

He kept that up for about a minute until he gave up.

“I can’t do it.” Naruto said in frustration. “There’s no way I can concentrate on a kid I don’t know a day before the inauguration.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Any ideas on how we can find him”

“Let’s go back to the Leaf’s Intelligence Division first and we’ll figure it out from there.” Sasuke said, starting to run over. 

On their way there, however, they spotted the little boy sitting on a bench staring at the Hokage Rock. 

“Guess I wasn’t too far off.” Sasuke said mockingly. “Maybe he’s thinking of how to get spray paint.” 

“Oh, shut up.” Naruto said landing near the kid. “Kid!”

“Dad!” The boy screamed, turning towards him.

“Shhh!!!” Naruto rushed over to him and covered his mouth. “Look kid. Call me Naruto. OK? Na-ru-to. I’m not your dad and I don’t want anyone thinking that I am.”

“Oh.” The boy looked to his hands. “OK. Naruto.” The boy said with obvious disappointment. 

“What are you even doing here?” Sasuke asked, sitting down next to the boy.

“When I walked out of the building, I noticed that mountain and I needed to get a better look at it.” The boy said pointing at the stone faces. “That’s why I came here.”

“Oh, and why is that?” Sasuke sounded suspicious.

“There’s a face missing.”

Naruto laughed with pride. “Yeah, but not for long! They should finish up my face today.”

“No. That’s not it.” He sighed. “There’s someone missing.”

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. They were slightly amused at the little boy’s mannerisms. He had his eyes squinted and he had his hand on his chin.

“Oh yeah and who is missing, kid?” Naruto smiled at Sasuke as he teased the boy.

“I don’t remember his name or his face.”

Naruto laughed out loud and Sasuke chuckled at the boy’s answer. 

“He wore a mask.” The boy said, pointing beneath Tsunade’s face where Naruto’s face was being constructed. “His face was there.”

Both men stopped laughing. 

“What did you just say?” Sasuke asked, making eye contact with the boy. 

The boy looked scared of him. “Uh… well I said that there is a man with a mask and he should be right there.”

Naruto let out a dry laugh. “I don’t know what game you’re playing kid, but it’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny Da-Naruto. I just know that his face is missing.”

Sasuke suddenly stood up and grabbed the boy by the arm. Naruto instinctively reached out to stop him, but the look in Sasuke’s face made him stop. “Let’s go idiot.”

“Go where?”

“Wherever the hell you keep that picture of us.” Sasuke was already beginning to walk towards Naruto’s old apartment.


	12. Chapter 12

“I packed it up and had it sent to my new place.” Naruto signaled in the opposite direction. “If we go that way though, we’ll walk right past the market area.” 

“That’s fine.” He turned to the boy who was still staring at him with fear. “Not a word out of you as we make our way to Naruto’s place.”

The boy gulped.

“Pick a name for him idiot.” Sasuke said, keeping his intense stare on the kid. 

“Why should I?” Naruto was picking at his ear. 

“Pick my name?” The boy was smiling. “Da-Naruto will pick my name?”

“Yeah. He will.” Sasuke had let go of the boy’s arm. “Or you can pick something. It doesn’t matter just think of a name.”

“I’m terrible at names.” Naruto didn’t want to play along.

“I don’t… I don’t know any names.” The boy was looking at Sasuke with big sad eyes.

It made Sasuke uncomfortable. “Name. Now.” 

“I… I can’t.” The boy looked over at Naruto. “Please...Da-Naruto think of something for me.”

“There’s no way I can do that.” Naruto was panicking. “Once you name them you get attached!”

“It’s a kid, not a dog.” Sasuke snapped back.

“Which is far worse!”

“It’s a temporary name, idiot.”

“Then you pick something.”

“Fine.” He turned down to the kid with a scowl. “Well, if he’s Naruto, I guess you could be…” Sasuke was blushing now. “Tomato?”

“Tomato?” Naruto and the boy said in unison, their voice filled with confusion.

“What a crappy name!” Naruto screamed “Tomato? Might as well call him Salad.”

“Well, what’s your great idea you idiot! I told you to do it yourself!” Sasuke screamed back at them, his face red.

“Yeah I will you bastard!” Naruto screamed at Sasuke and then turned to look at the small boy in front of him. “In the pervy sage’s book the hero was called Menma.” Naruto had a wistful tone in his voice. He patted the kid’s head. “Let’s just call you Menma.”

“Another food?” Sasuke was annoyed. 

“It’s better than tomato.” Naruto was now in Sasuke’s face. 

“Not really.” Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“I like that.” The boy was smiling at Naruto. “I don’t really know what a tomato or a menma are, but I like da-Naruto’s name.” 

“Okay then kid if we meet anyone your name is Menma and you’re here visiting from the Sand.” 

“Why the Sand?” Naruto asked following both Sasuke and the boy as they started walking at a fast pace towards the market. 

“The Kazekage is the only one that would lie and say he knows him for your sake.” Sasuke said indifferently as he continued to quicken his pace. Naruto was able to keep up, but the kid was rapidly falling behind. 

Naruto slowed his pace. “You’re a bastard Sasuke.”

Sasuke stopped and turned back at him with confusion.

Naruto groaned and stopped walking. “Come here Menma. I’ll carry you.” The boy smiled and started running towards them.

“Why am I a bastard you idiot?” Sasuke sounded genuinely confused.

“Because I told you,” he had a sad look in his eyes as he crouched on the ground to wait for the boy, “Once you name them… you get attached.”


	13. Chapter 13

The market area had more people than either of the men had predicted, and both Naruto and Sasuke drew in a crowd no matter where they went. 

As Naruto paraded down, waving at people and taking pictures his stomach growled. He looked expectantly at Sasuke.

“I knew this would happen.” Sasuke said with disappointment. “15 minutes.”

“Not… not ramen.” The boy said settling himself down into Naruto’s neck.

“You’ve never had this ramen Menma!” Naruto smiled. He didn’t stop to think that the boy should have no reason to know that Naruto always ate ramen.

Ichiraku’s had a restaurant and it had a poster of Naruto at the front windows. The waiting time to enter was usually half an hour, but because the inauguration was tomorrow and everyone wanted to eat at Naruto’s favorite spot the line was ridiculously long.

Naruto saw the line and groaned, almost dropping the kid. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You can just walk right in. You’re literally on the poster.”

“But then what about everyone waiting in line for a table.” Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. “It’s not fair to them.”

“Big Brother!” Konohamaru yelled from the front of the line. “Big Brother! Come eat with me!” He was waving furiously at the two.

Naruto laughed and started running in place. “Sasuke! Let’s go!” 

“I’m not hun—” Sasuke’s stomach growled. 

Naruto and the boy stared at him expressionless.

Sasuke cleared his throat. “If the food isn’t ready in the next 15 minutes we are leaving.”

As Sasuke had suspected, when Naruto and him met up with Konohamru in the line the people stepped aside and allowed them in before them. In record time they were seated in a table for four. As they made their orders fans came and asked to take pictures with Naruto, who smiled politely for each of them. 

“Please allow Naruto to finish his meal before asking him to sign any more autographs, my dear customers.” Teuchi said with a smile on his face. Despite having a full staff, he personally arrived with their four orders to congratulate Naruto.

“Hmm…” Teuchi was staring at the boy sitting next to Naruto, who was desperately trying to avoid making eye contact. “That boy reminds me of this one kid who refused to come into my shop, even in the rain.” He looked to Naruto, winked, and walked away.

Naruto stared at the man. He was about to say something, but Teuchi walked away just as he was about to speak. “Future Lord Sixth, this meal is on me.” He called back as he walked away back to the kitchen.

“Thank you!” Naruto screamed after him with a smile on his face, already beginning to eat. 

“Yes! Big brother I knew eating with you would be the best!” Konohamaru said with his mouth full of food. “So, who’s the kid?”

The boy started to eat his food in silence. Sasuke was sitting across from him and he refused to mess this up. He side-eyed the man next to Sasuke, he was looking at him suspiciously. He then turned to Sasuke, who slightly nodded at the boy, allowing him to answer.

“My name is Menma big br-Konohamaru.” The boy corrected himself and smiled at them.

Konohamaru raised his eyebrow. “Oh, you know my name?” He was still eating at record speed.

“Da-Naruto called you that.” The boy looked at Sasuke who was eating his ramen in silence.

The boy looked down and started eating as fast as he could before Sasuke rushed them out. 

“Hey big bro, why are you showing a kid around on such a busy day?” Konohamaru spoke with his mouthful.

“It’s my mission!” Naruto said, with his mouthful too. “I’m still a shinobi like you and I just do as I’m told.” He finished his bowl. 

Konohamaru was confused because there was no way Tsunade would order an escort mission, but he trusted his brother entirely. He finished his bowl and just as he was about to continue the conversation Sasuke stood up. “It’s been 15 minutes. We’re leaving” He said coldly. 

The boy stared at his half-finished bowl. _How did they finish this already?_ He thought staring at their empty bowls.

“Let’s go. Menma, pick that up and chug it.” Naruto ordered the boy. “Come on now kid.”

The boy did as he was told and slurped the ramen as quickly as possible. When he finished, he saw Konohamaru giving him a funny look, as if he was concentrating as hard as he could.

“I’ll follow you guys.” Konohamaru rushed after Sasuke. As the four left the restaurant, they saw that the crowd of people had just doubled. Word had got out that Naruto and Sasuke where at Ichiraku’s.

The crowd surrounded them and quickly pushed both Konohamaru and the boy away from the village heroes. 

“Mr. Sasuke and my big brother really are the biggest celebrities in all of the Leaf.” Konohamaru said to the boy as they saw the crowd continuously grow. He guided the boy to the sides, at a distance from Naruto and Sasuke. “So Menma, tell me, are you excited to watch the inauguration?”

“Uh… yeah.” He was nervous. He didn’t want to make Sasuke angry.

“I’m guessing your parents must be some super famous people if they got my big bro and Mr. Sasuke escorting you.” He was whispering, but he had a smile on his face, as if he had solved the mystery behind the whole ordeal.

“Uh… yeah. My dad is famous.” The boy said looking as Naruto ran a hand through his hair and bowed at the people begging him for an autograph and as Sasuke stood there with his arms crossed in annoyance.

“Oh, and what about your mom?” Konohamaru pressured him.

“My… my mom?” He asked as he saw Sasuke grow so annoyed to the point where he grabbed Naruto by the collar and started dragging him away from the crowd. “I… I don’t…”

Konohamaru pressed on. “Oh man, she must be _super_ famous if you can’t talk about her! Can you give me hints about who she is? How does she look? Is she pretty? What color is her hair? I bet I can guess who she is if she’s famous!”

“She…” the boy thought about it. “Her hair… is black.” He looked at Konohamaru. “And her eyes… are white.”


	14. Chapter 14

“White?!” Konohamaru screamed. He knew that the only group of people with white eyes were the Hyugas of the Hidden Leaf. 

The boy was surprised at Konohamaru’s shocked reaction, and he was about to correct himself when a group of pretty girls from the village walked by them.

“Hi Konohamaru!” One of the pretty girls called out. The other girls giggled and waved at him too. Konohamaru smiled and waved back with an embarrassed grin. He wasn’t able to get a single word out before the girls walked away, smiling, blushing, and giggling with each other.

“Lord Sixth!” Another of the pretty girls called out to Naruto as Sasuke dragged him towards Konohamaru and the boy, and the rest of them bowed with respect.

“Sasuke is so handsome!” One of the girls whispered excitedly at the others. They giggled and kept walking. 

Naruto sighed and whispered to his friend “So we know why _I’m_ single, but why are _you_ single? All the girls like and don’t you like Saku—” Sasuke suddenly pulled him harder to the point where Naruto felt like he was choking.

“Geez! Sorry I asked!” Naruto was breathless now. Sasuke rolled his eyes and let Naruto go. He sped up his pace, approached the boy, and peered down at him with a menacing glare.

“What are you two talking about?” Sasuke asked, looking just at the boy. 

Konohamaru had realized the boy wasn’t allowed to talk about his parents, so he anxiously waited for the boy to answer too.

“Oh. I was asking Konohamaru if he knew those girls.” The boy lied with a nervous smile on his face. 

Konohamaru laughed nervously too. He knew he wasn’t supposed to ask about the escorted child’s parents. “And I was telling him that I don’t!” Both of them let out another nervous laugh and Sasuke eyed them suspiciously. 

Naruto, who was trailing slightly behind, approached Sasuke again. “Hey buddy, you know I think that you should really start dating and Sak—” Naruto was interrupted by Sasuke shoving him back. 

“Shut up!” Sasuke screamed, completely forgetting about the boy.

Taking the opportunity, the boy edged away from Sasuke and went to stand behind Naruto who was holding his arms up and calming down Sasuke. “Geez calm down bastard I was trying to help!”

“I don’t need help!” Sasuke shoved him and Naruto almost stumbled on the boy. He steadied himself and turned around to see if the boy was okay. 

“Oh I’m fine…” the boy said, his eyes still on Sasuke who was standing with his arms crossed looking at the two of them. 

“That’s good to hear.” Naruto said, following the boy’s eyes to look at Sasuke too.

Both Naruto and the boy looked at Sasuke as if they were sorry about something they had done. Sasuke saw them staring at him, got annoyed, and whipped his head around in the opposite direction.

Konohamaru looked at them both with intent focus. “Hmmm...” Konohamaru walked towards them, narrowing his eyes, and crouching down to get a better look of the boy. “Wait a minute…your faces…”

Konohamaru gasped in realization. He pointed a finger at both of them and just as he was about to speak Sasuke covered his mouth. 


	15. Chapter 15

“HdajdlajadljadjjsdLJjdalkdjfaeal;d!!???!!!” Konohamaru mumbled, pointing from Naruto to the boy with wide eyes. 

Naruto snapped out of his train of thought and looked at Konohamaru in surprise.

“He can’t understand what you’re—" Sasuke started to say.

“No. You got it wrong. I’m not his—” Naruto turned to point at the boy, but the boy was just staring sadly at him with big, round eyes. Naruto groaned out in frustration. He couldn’t say it in front of the kid.

“JALDKJALEJOADJLDAKJ!” Konohamaru mumbled as he placed a hand to his heart, and then after a moment he started to clap. 

“No Konohamaru, don’t congratulate me! This is a big misunderstanding!” He got closer to him. “I’m not a father.” He whispered the word father.

Sasuke stared at them in confusion, his hand still tightly holding Konhamaru’s mouth.

“RRURFGJLSFJSJKGS!!!!” Konohamaru waved his arms around.

“Don’t flatter me like that.” Naruto smiled and scratched his head.

“DALJDLJA…. JALJDALKJD;ALDJA.” Konohamaru mumbled.

“Why does everyone think that about me?!” Naruto screamed with a blush. 

Sasuke had seen enough. “I’m going to let you go now, but if you talk, I’ll knock you out.” Sasuke stated calmly. 

“HKAJDALJLDJALJj??” 

“Yeah, it’ll hurt.” Naruto answered, still angry. 

Sasuke let him go. Konohamaru took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly. He saw the kid, panicked again, and took another deep breath. 

“This stays with you.” Sasuke gave him his signature glare and motioned for Naruto and the boy to follow him. 

The boy instantly nodded and started to hurry after him, but Naruto stayed looking at Konohamaru who was just looking at him in shock. 

“Come with us. I’ll explain at my place.” Naruto said calmly. 

“No.” Sasuke called back. He kept walking as he spoke. “He goes.”

Naruto turned to him and motioned for him to follow anyway. Konohmaru did as told and followed behind the three, but he stayed close to Naruto in case Sasuke tried to knock him out.

Sasuke rushed ahead of the three others, and didn’t bother to slow down his pace. Naruto saw as the boy, who was once following close behind Sasuke, had steadily fallen behind.

“You see how small he is Sasuke” Naruto picked up the boy and carried him by placing him on his back, “but you still walk that fast?”

Sasuke said nothing and continued to walk past the crowds that were trying to stop him for an autograph. 

Konohamaru was still walking near Naruto, but he was now lost in thought. _Menma’s mom is part of the Hyuga clan. He’s no more than 10. So then big bro must have been about twenty_? He sighed. _Does he even know a Hyuga?_

He turned his attention to the boy clinging to Naruto’s back. _He definitely takes after big bro, but if his mom is part of the Hyuga clan his eyes must be..._

He edged closer to the boy. 

_His eye shape... I’ve seen it before, but on who?_ He thought with a deep sigh. _Why can’t I remember?_

Suddenly a woman came to mind. He looked to the boy. _Yeah. That eye shape, it’s like hers._

He gulped. _10 years ago…_ His face lit up with the sudden realization. _Oh God. That’s why they hid the child… because she was so young and a member of the main clan!_

Naruto suddenly felt the urge to turn around, and he saw that Konohamaru was looking at him with disgust.

“Uh… Konohamaru?” Naruto tilted his head.

“Did you and—” Konohamaru began, but Sasuke appeared in front of him.

“I warned you. No talking.”

“Wait! Did I and who _what_?” Naruto asked in complete confusion.

Sasuke froze at the sound of Naruto’s question. He was curious too.

“Menma said that his mom had white eyes.” Konohamaru whispered.

Sasuke and Naruto turned to look at the boy. “Well…” he began nervously. “Big br-Konohamaru asked me how she looks like and she has black hair and white eyes.”

Naruto and Sasuke had completely forgotten about Konohamaru at this point.

“Wait... so you—” Naruto started to speak. “You remember your mom?” Sasuke asked, finishing Naruto’s sentence.

Konohamaru kept talking, unaware that he had lost both men’s attention. “Which means his mom is a member of the Hyuga clan. Not only that, but based on his age and who you actually talk to, and on the boy’s eye shape there is only one possible person that could be the mother!”

Konohamaru dramatically cleared his throat. Naruto and Sasuke turned back to him to listen for the first time.

“So, I ask you big brother… did you and Hanabi have a baby?” Konohamaru whispered with determination, looking directly at Naruto.

“Hanabi?!” Both men screamed. 

“Yes?” A feminine voice called out. They all turned to see Hanabi walking with her father on their way to the market.

“Grandpa? Big sis?” The boy had a smile on his face.

“Big sis?!” All three men scream.

Hiashi gave them a confused look. “Is there something you need from us?” His voice was dignified and indifferent.

Hanabi tilted her head in confusion at them.

“I just wanted to ask Hanabi to reconsider the teaching position at the academy!” Konohamaru laughed. “I myself haven’t been asked to teach yet so I—”

Hiashi looked at him with irritation. Hanabi looked uncomfortable. “We can talk about that some other time.” She and her father kept walking, not bothering to entertain a conversation with Konohamaru.

“As dignified as always…” Konohamaru muttered as he uncomfortably waved after them.

“That doesn’t feel right.” The boy was staring after the two in confusion.

The three men turned to look at the kid with annoyance.

Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh. “Naruto.” He snapped.

Naruto was startled at the sound of his name. 

“Screw not drawing attention to ourselves. Let’s hurry to your place.”

“Right!” He waved at Konohamaru.

“Wait!” Konohamaru screamed. “Let me go too!”

“No.” Sasuke glared. “He’ll explain later.” 

“Trust me Konohamaru. I’ll give you a full report in the afternoon, I’ll even buy you dinner.”

“You’re buying?” Konohamaru raised an eyebrow. This was serious. “Right. Okay, big bro.” He looked at the boy on his back and patted his head. 

“Maybe one day you’ll call me sensei.” Konohamaru smiled at the boy and waved at them both.

“Something tells me… I wouldn’t call you sensei.” The boy said honestly as he waved goodbye and was carried off by Naruto.


	16. Chapter 16

The movers were still at the apartment when Sasuke arrived. There were men still carrying Naruto’s new furniture and unpacking his belongings. 

“Leave.” Sasuke ordered as soon as he walked through the door.

They all stopped and looked at him. He had asked Naruto and the kid to wait at a distance so that none of them would see the kid. 

“You’ll be paid the same.” He snapped. “Just leave now.”

The men looked at each other in shock. “The… kitchen table is still outside.” A man said placing down the couch. “We’ve only finished the bedrooms.”

“I don’t like to repeat myself.” Sasuke crossed his arms and leered at them.

They wasted no time. They all quickly scurried out, and once they had all gone Naruto entered with the boy.

“You promised you’d try to get my deposit back, but you didn’t even try did you?”

Sasuke ignored him. He had already gone to the bedroom and had gotten the picture of Team 7. He wasn’t going to waste another minute. 

“Kid. Do you know who this is?” 

“Yes…” The boy took the picture from Sasuke’s hands. “This is who I was talking about. His name is Kakashi.” The boy answered quickly, but he kept examining the picture. He pointed at Kakashi’s left eye. “His scar is covered.”

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other with determination. They knew they were close to getting the boy’s memories back. “Go get one of her.” Sasuke ordered.

Naruto hesitated. He avoided eye contact. “I don’t…” He sighed. “I can’t.”

Sasuke scowled. “We’re getting to the bottom of this. _Right now._ ” His voice was cold and emotionless. “Go get her picture now.”

“I can’t.” Naruto insisted. Typically, Naruto would have raised his voice at Sasuke or have started a fight, but this time Naruto just stared at the ground with defeat.

Sasuke sighed. 

“Take a seat kid.” He motioned for the couch that was awkwardly placed between the living room and kitchen. The boy turned to look at him as if to ask if he was kidding, but the look on Sasuke’s face made him go and sit.

Sasuke then pointed at the hallway to their right where the bedrooms were. “Let’s go look together.”

Naruto nodded. “I asked the movers to store all of the pictures in my office. I also paid for an interior decorator, but...” Naruto sighed. “I guess they didn’t get a chance to finish…”

The room was furnished, but the boxes hadn’t been unpacked. Most of the items there were new, there was only one box that Naruto had packed himself.

“Guess not having a lot of stuff worked in our favor.” Naruto said, lifting the box and setting it on the desk.

“I’ll open it.” Sasuke took out his kunai and cut the box open. He was surprised at just how many pictures Naruto had accumulated over the years. A small part of him felt regret for not taking pictures of himself throughout the years. That was, until he saw one picture in particular.

“Why do you have this picture?” Sasuke asked, picking up a picture of him in an Akatsuki robe with team Taka. 

“It’s Sakura’s actually.” He had a wistful smile on his face. “She’s the one that gave me most of these pictures for my office. She said that while I work, I should remember who I’m working for.” He smiled brightly at the idea. He took the picture from Sasuke’s hands and he placed it back in the box.

“How did she even get it?” Sasuke was blushing.

Naruto shrugged. “I learned not to question her.”

The two laughed at that, and Sasuke kept going through the pictures while Naruto sat on the chair and stared at the ceiling. The room was silent, only the noise of Sasuke quickly flipping through pictures was heard until Naruto spoke.

“Hey Sasuke about tomorrow…” 

“Yeah?” He had a picture of Naruto as a kid passed out in a hospital bed in his hand.

“I know you don’t take pictures, but I was wondering…” His face was red. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Don’t feel like you have to say yes because Sakura and Iruka already agreed, but I was wondering if you...”

Sasuke now had a picture of Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji, and Lee drunk celebrating Sai’s engagement. 

“W-would you come out in the official Hokage picture with me?” Naruto asked, still staring at the ceiling.

Sasuke dropped the picture in shock. It floated slowly back into the box. He cleared his throat and quickly grabbed a picture in the box to regain his composure. “Sure.” 

“Really?” Naruto looked at him and laughed. “Sakura told me it’d be easy to ask, but I figured you’d—”

Sasuke now had a picture of HInata in his hands. Naruto stopped laughing. He stood up and held his hand out for the picture, but Sasuke hesitated.

“I’ll hold on to it.” He said turning around and starting to walk out.

“Sasuke. Give me the picture.” Naruto hardly ever spoke in a serious tone, so Sasuke knew he had to turn the picture over.

He sighed. “I don’t know the whole story, but you did as best as you could—”

“Are you trying to comfort me?” Naruto laughed and snatched the picture gently from Sasuke’s hands. “It’s unlike you.” 

“I’m your friend.” Sasuke said simply. “I know that you—”

“I couldn’t save any of them that day.” Naruto interrupted him because he didn’t want to hear Sasuke telling him he had done as best as he could.

It didn’t matter that he had tried his best. They all died. Nagato killed Hinata in front of him. He had fought him, spoken to him, and just when it felt like he had gotten through to him… He died. Leaving Naruto behind with just his own pain. 

He gripped the picture tighter. It was a picture of Hinata, Kiba, and Shino as Genin in one of the Leaf’s training fields. “Kiba gave this to me.” He smiled sadly. “He said that she was one of the first ones to believe in me, and that I had to keep making her proud.” 

He looked at Sasuke. “This picture is a reminder that I have a lot more to endure in order to bring everyone peace.” He smiled at him. “And tomorrow after I’m named Hokage in front of a representative from all of the Nations, I’m going to be one step closer to achieving this peace.” He looked down at the picture of Hinata and smiled. 

Sasuke smiled at his friend and he was about to pat him on the shoulder when the voice of the boy startled them.

“Da-Naruto….” He was standing there with a terrified expression on his face. 

“I thought I told you to stay put.” Sasuke snapped.

“Yes but…” The boy looked behind him, gasped, and rushed into the room to hide behind Naruto. 

The men were both confused, until Sakura stepped into the room. “So, which one of you is going to explain why that kid called me aunt?”


	17. Chapter 17

Sakura looked at the two men expectantly.

Sasuke said nothing, but he pointed at Naruto as if to say " _he can_."

Meanwhile, Naruto was desperately trying to hide the child behind his back. "Well Sakura his name is Menma and he's from the Sand and he's—"

The boy peeked from behind Naruto's back. "You two together remind me of a friend."

Sakura and Sasuke turned to each other with confusion. Naruto stopped his babbling, relieved with the distraction.

"Explain." Sasuke sounded annoyed, but intrigued.

"She looks like you" He pointed at Sasuke. "But with glasses." The boy said, still slightly confused.

"Tsk. Uchihas don't need glasses." Sasuke said coldly.

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other and they both tried to hold in a laugh. They knew Sasuke owned reading glasses.

Sakura sighed and crossed her arms. "So, he's from the Sand?" Sakura didn't sound convinced. "You had a kid with someone from the Sand?"

"Yes!" Naruto said triumphantly. "No… Wait…" Naruto panicked. "Y-you think he's m-mine?" He turned to look at the boy hiding behind him and their eyes met. "He's not mine." Naruto said sadly.

The boy turned around to hide his face. Naruto sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Help me out here jerk." He placed the picture on the desk.

"It's a secret." Sasuke said simply. He had sat on the edge of the desk next to the box.

Naruto quickly nodded. "Yeah. It's a secret." Naruto repeated eagerly. "So, we'll share this with you when Grandma gives us the clear."

Sakura sighed again. She didn't believe any of what they were saying. "Then why did he call me aunt?"

Naruto raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Maybe it's a Sand thing."

Sakura uncrossed her arms and placed a hand on her hip. "Let him answer Naruto. Menma, was it? Why did you call me aunt?" Sakura asked, starting to walk closer to them.

Naruto and Sasuke flinched.

The boy still had his back turned. "Stand back, you're scaring him." Naruto lied. In reality, he was the one that was scared.

"Menma, are you okay?" Naruto asked as softly as he could. The boy turned to face only Naruto. His eyes were puffy. He nodded.

"I call everyone aunt." The boy turned to look at Sakura, but the picture on the desk caught his attention. His eyes widened and suddenly he started tearing up.

"Mom!" He mumbled and picked up the picture. "This is my mom!" He was smiling and pointing.

"Your… mom?" Naruto looked at 12 year old Hinata in the picture and looked at the boy with surprise.

"Is he crazy?" Sasuke asked eyeing the boy.

Sakura stared at the boy, as if realizing something about him that the other two men had failed to do before. "Hey Menma, come look at the pictures. Does any of it seem familiar?"

The boy nodded, took the picture from the desk, and began to look through the box.

Sakura raised an eyebrow at the boy who was going through the box. "You expect me to believe he calls everyone aunt? Does he call everyone mom too?" She took a step towards them and Sasuke stood up and walked behind the desk to stand behind Naruto.

Naruto laughed nervously. "That's… no." He used his hands to talk. "No. No. Like. H-he's from the Sand and they call everyone aunt...and he… he calls other kids… mom? He doesn't actually think that Hinata's his mom. It's normal for them to do that. I think Gaara did that when we first met him." Naruto thought back to the blood-thirsty 12-year-old that Gaara once was. "Or, maybe not Gaara, but for sure Temari and Kankuro."

Sasuke groaned in frustration. Sakura sighed, clearly frustrated at the men and their bad attempts at lying. "Whatever it is you don't have to lie to me. You can trust me." Sakura sounded offended.

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other. Naruto looked panicked. Sasuke was expressionless.

Naruto furrowed his brows and looked at Sakura. "Well… the truth is that—"

The boy rushed to hug Naruto. He was crying. "You've gone through so much here!"

Naruto resisted the hug at first, but he sighed and embraced the boy, picking him up. He looked at Sakura with a shy smile. "The truth is that he thinks I'm his dad."

The boy shook his head. "You're not my dad." He smiled at him. "At least, you're not my dad _here_."

Naruto looked at the boy in shock. "Uh… y-yeah. That's what I've…" His voice cracked. "Wait. Did you get your memory back?" He was happy for him, but his voice sounded sad.

He set the kid down. "Can you tell us who you are now?" Naruto asked softly. Sakura and Sasuke got closer to hear.

"Yes. I know who I am now and I'm not from here." The boy said simply, smiling up at the three adults.

"Of course not, but which village are you from and who are your parents? We'll get you home as soon as we can." Naruto stood up straight and answered with confidence.

The boy said nothing, but he had bright smile on his face. He extended his hand out for Naruto to take, and as he did, his body turned translucent.

"What's happening to him?" Naruto panicked. Sasuke rushed up to them with his rinnegan and Sakura shoved the desk out of the way to get to the boy quicker.

"It's okay, I'm just going back now to where I'm from." His smile never wavered, and he kept his eyes fixated on Naruto.

He kept his little hand extended out for Naruto to grab, and once Naruto saw the hand, he grabbed it instantly, crouching down on one knee to meet the kid at eye level. "Kid, who are you?" Naruto asked, watching as the tiny hand in his grasp began to vanish.

"In my world, you named me Boruto." The small child said simply.

"I like that name." Naruto said, his eyes sparkling as the boy completely vanished.

Sakura and Sasuke watched Naruto's back, slumped and motionless. They turned to each other with concerned looks on their faces. Naruto stayed motionless with his hand held out staring into empty space.

Sakura approached him to comfort him, but when she got closer, she saw that Naruto was smiling at the empty space.

He stood up and turned to look at them, with a bright smile, the same as the little boy's. "I'm sure glad I got to meet him."

He looked around the room and at his two friends. He sighed. "Sakura… I just bought that desk."


	18. Chapter 18

Sasuke updated Sakura on the situation as Naruto collected the pieces of his mangled desk.

"I don't understand why, but what happened to him feels oddly familiar to me." She pressed her finger to her lips and thought for a moment. Ultimately, she shrugged it off.

The three of them had concluded that the boy _was_ Naruto's son, but not _this_ Naruto's son.

What they didn't understand was why or how he was brought to them. Naruto shrugged it off because it was clear the boy was no threat, but Sasuke was determined to get to the bottom of it. However, ultimately Sakura convinced him to leave it until after the inauguration.

"After tomorrow, I'm going to find out just what the hell happe-" Sasuke began but stopped suddenly when he saw Naruto throw himself dramatically on the floor.

"Are you feeling okay Naruto?" Sakura asked, worried for her friend. They all had to go and report to Tsunade, but it felt wrong to just leave without talking to Naruto first.

Naruto was sprawled on the floor of the mostly empty apartment and Sakura and Sasuke were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. "I feel fine, but…" He furrowed his brows and exhaled deeply.

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged worried looks.

He suddenly sat up. "But I'm really worried about you two."

"About us?" Sakura was confused.

Sasuke gave Naruto a dirty look. "Why are you worried about us, you idiot?"

Naruto stood up. "I just got to meet my son, but you two…" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "You two are never going to have the chance to meet your kid unless you start dating already!"

Sakura sighed in frustration. "Not this again."

Sasuke turned a deep shade of red that was a mixture of both anger and embarrassment. "Your child from another world appears, leaves us with a million questions, and you're worried about us not having children?"

Naruto was still on the floor and his frustration was evident. "Yes, this again!" He waved his arms around. "I know what I have to do! I won't have time to raise a kid with the world as it is, but you two have that chance!" He sat up right and pointed at his best friends. "You two would look so good together and you'd raise a wonderful kid! You heard Boruto, his best friend looks like you two!" He was smiling. "I'm sure you two would make wonderful par—"

"You think that?" Sasuke interrupted him. "The kid recognized everyone... _except me._ " He leaned in towards Naruto. "Why do you think that is, idiot?"

"Well, you might look different where he's from." Naruto answered.

"No." Sasuke smiled at him. "It's because he doesn't know me." He leaned back into the couch and stared at the ceiling. "If you and Sakura are both raising your own children in the Leaf Village, then who is out on missions?"

"Sasuke, c'mon you don't know that." Naruto stood up and peered down at his friend.

"He's right Naruto." Sakura shrugged. "When have we three been together like this in the last fifteen years? It's a miracle that we're together for your inauguration."

"You two don't understand." Naruto's voice was earnest. "I can handle this alone. There's no reason that you two can't—"

"There is a reason Naruto." Sakura caught him off. "I know you mean well and I can understand why you're saying this after having met that kid, but this isn't a time of peace." Sakura stood up and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Like our senseis before us we have a duty to the future generations."

"Getting you to be Hokage was only the first step." Sasuke stood up and placed his hand on Naruto's other shoulder. "We've got a lot of work to do."

Naruto turned to each of his friends. "Aren't you two…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Why do you keep saying that?"

Sakura laughed. "I was twelve! When are you going to let that go?"

"That's what I keep telling him." Sasuke smirked. "But the idiot won't listen."

Naruto sighed. "I hate that you two…" he turned from Sasuke to Sakura sadly, "are doing this for me."

Both of them smacked Naruto at the same time and he landed on the floor.

"For you?" Sakura screamed with indignation.

"Who said this was for you?" Sasuke kicked him.

"Ouch! Stop it!" Naruto stood up slowly and rubbed his head. "I just want you two to be happy."

Sakura and Sasuke were slightly taken back. The sad look in Naruto's face and the obvious guilt that he felt for them made them feel uneasy. It was obvious that their friend was hurting.

"God you're an idiot." Sasuke approached Naruto. "You're the one that's going to bring us happiness." He flicked his forehead. "So, stop acting stupid."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "You don't need to worry about us, we're perfectly capable of making our own decisions that will make us happy. That's the kind of people we are." She placed a hand on her hips. "You should know that better than anyone."

Sasuke simply nodded in agreement.

Naruto looked at his two friends and felt tears forming. He hugged them both, and in a rare moment Sasuke smiled at them both back. The three embraced, and when Naruto finally let them go, he was smiling brightly even as he held back some tears.

He stared at them for a moment in silence and then exhaled loudly.

"Okay then… as Hokage I'll work you two to the bone until we get this alliance solidified." He wiped his nose on his shirt, leaving a snot stain.

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged worried glances.

"You can't say you'll lead us and then… act like a child." Sakura sighed.

"How are you still this snot-nosed at thirty?" Sasuke asked annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Let's head to Tsunade's office. I think I have a fitting at noon, and I'm going to be late." He started to mumble. "Oh… wait is it noon yet? I had to meet with Temari at 11:30. She's going to kick my ass when she sees me... Wait no I'll call Shikamaru, but no wait he's with the…"

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged glances again and sighed.

"Stop mumbling and let's go." Sakura said, dragging Naruto by the ear.

"Oh! But wait!" Naruto screamed, turning back to Sasuke who was walking slowly behind them. "Before we leave, Sasuke…I have two things to tell you." He bowed deeply. "First of all, thank you for your help. I don't know how I could have handled this whole thing without you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and said nothing.

Naruto smiled and started to inch behind Sakura. "And second of all… just how the hell are you going to accomplish your dream of reviving your clan if you don't have kids?"

Sakura looked from Naruto to Sasuke. She could have easily stopped this whole conversation, but she was curious about Sasuke's answer too.

Sasuke looked deeply annoyed at first, but when he saw the earnest look in his friend's faces, he let out a deep sigh.

His face turned a light shade of pink. "It's not my dream."

"You're lying." Naruto shook his head. "I can't in good conscience keep you from that."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He knew what he had to say, but he hated that he had to say it.

Sasuke cleared his throat and tried to smile. "Don't worry about my clan..." His face went from pink to red. "I could easily take care of that on a weekend."

He meant to say it in a joking manner to lighten the mood, but he sounded dead-serious.

Sakura and Naruto stared at him in silence, and then, slowly, the two realized that he was kidding.

Naruto laughed softly at first, but it quickly turned into loud, ear-splitting, laughter. He grabbed his stomach and fell to the ground. Similarly, Sakura had a nervous chuckle at first, but she started laughing wholeheartedly moments later.

Sasuke just stared at his best friends with a smile.

"OKAY!" Naruto beamed again after he wasn't able to laugh anymore. "I think I've seen it all now." He stood up and started running towards the door. "Let's head over to Tsunade's and get ready for the inauguration. We've got a lot of work ahead of us!"

**THE END**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first fan fiction, and I had a lot of fun writing it.
> 
> Thank you for reading and for commenting.

**Author's Note:**

> Updates first on : https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13787498/1/Road-to-Boruto


End file.
